Hello, as you continue to develop your skills as a photographer, whether you are a hobbyist or a seasoned professional, over time your knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of photography improve as each day goes by.
Light and composition are the first things a beginner wants to improve on, as it can often be frustrating when your images are not turning out as compared with other photographers. You know what I am talking about... The crooked horizon lines, the poorly placed points of interest and most of all the exposure. At this point, you are probably wondering what this has to do with contemporary photography; well it has a lot to do with it.
Contemporary photography is considered to be an art form, although it may not always appear that way. As global trends and styles adjust and modernize through time, so too does contemporary photography.
Although photographic "artists" often tend to see themselves as being the elite of the photographic society, their work on the other hand can sometimes leave much to be desired. All too often galleries are filled with pieces of "artwork" which to many eyes seem rather plain, amateurish and perhaps even boring. Sometimes there will be some nice pieces but generally, the trends of contemporary art seem to be on the "my dog could do better than that" side of things. For Artists, making a career out of contemporary art photography can be tough, it is a big bad world out there and only the bravest and the boldest will make it into the big cheese of art photographers. In saying that, you do not have to be the greatest photographer to get your name out there.
An art photographer may start selling his or her prints for $50 - $100 dollars each, which is ok, it is certainly better than nothing, but it is nowhere near what they could be making. So why do their pieces only sell for pittance when others are churning up dare I say, relatively similar pieces and making thousands, if not tens or thousands, even millions on their own work? Well the sad fact of it all seems to be not the quality of the workmanship involved but the name that is involved with the piece of artwork itself. There are a lot more nobodies in this world than there are somebody’s, and if you happen to be a "somebody" selling your photography, you will have guaranteed success without doubt.
So who buys these "photographic masterpieces" you ask? Collectors do, and those who believe that the pieces mean something and will pay a high price for having the artists name adorning their hallway. Since the big cheeses are taking in all the cash, surely they have a high standard of workmanship right? Well to be frank, no. Even at the highest level of names, their artwork can look flat, unwelcoming, lifeless, and rather ordinary. Most of us will find something like what I am talking about through stacks of old (or new) photographs yet people still buy them and often pay a high price for them too. The real question is, are these "artists" taking their followers (or fans) and collectors for fools? Perhaps not, but on the other hand, maybe so. Is the life of the professional contemporary artist complete when he or she reaches the dizzying heights of fame? Once they get a name for themselves, do they start to get complacent and photograph literally anything for a sale, which more than likely they will get?
I have seen many genuine pieces of contemporary art, some reasonably ok, others so vague and hideous that I can take neither sense nor meaning from them. I see nothing in a picture that contains a seemingly drab, uninteresting canvas of nothingness. I often wonder if contemporary art is simply a modern name for snap shooting or another lazy way of making money on the cheap!
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